Laws of Gravity

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THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN INTEGRATED INTO LAWS OF MOTION AND COSMOLOGY! (08/08)

Enduring Understandings

Satellites are objects that move in a predictable path, called an orbit around another (usually much larger) body. There are two types of satellites, natural and artificial. Natural satellites vary greatly in size, and composition. Artificial satellites are all the product of human technology and they have a variety of uses. The motion of all satellites is the result of their velocity and the force of gravity. All satellites must obey the same basic laws of motion.


References to PDE Academic Standards, Anchors, and Eligible Content


Working Draft of Learning Objectives: Students will be able to...

  • Describe planetary motion and the physical laws that explain planetary motion.
  • Describe a variety of satellite orbits with particular advantages for technological purposes (e.g. geosynchronous, sun-synchronous, elliptical, polar).
  • Describe models for solar system formation and recent discover of extra-solar planets.
  • Describe concepts of models as a way to predict and understand science and technology.
  • Compare and contrast forces of gravity with centripetal acceleration.

Working Draft of Essential Learning Activities/Strategies/Technologies

  • Solar System Patterns
  • Circular & Elliptical Orbits
  • Asteroid Impact Scenarios
  • Geosynchronous and Sunsynchronous Simulations
  • Microgravity Effects

Working Draft of Supplemental Learning Activities/Strategies/Technologies


Resource Materials:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/satellite.htm
http://www.howstuffworks.com/gps.htm
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/satellite-tv.htm
http://science.howstuffworks.com/weightlessness.htm
http://science.howstuffworks.com/apophis.htm
http://www.spacescience.org/education/extra/kinesthetic_astronomy/download.html
http://phet.colorado.edu/simulations/lunarLander/lunarlander.swf
http://observe.arc.nasa.gov/nasa/education/reference/orbits/orbit_sim.html
http://www.noao.edu/outreach/press/pr01/0106images.html
http://www.nas.nasa.gov/About/Education/SpaceSettlement/Video/
http://vathena.arc.nasa.gov/curric/space/planets/planorbi.html
http://www.astrosociety.org/education/publications/tnl/tnl.html

Text- Science Spectrum CH p 404 Geo-synch Satellites; p 598 Nebula Model; NOTE: not much in book-must be supplemented
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/index.cfm
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/neo
Online Solar System Simulations
Excel-based Analysis of Elliptical Orbits
Online Microgravity Videos
Solar System Data from NinePlanets.org

Instructional Objectives:

Microgravity Effects
  • describe the effects of microgravity on common objects and events.
  • describe the positive and negative effects of microgravity on the human body.
Planetary Gravity
  • compare the fields of gravity on different planets.
  • explain how gravity can be universal, but create different fields on different planets.
Solar System Orbits & Solar Nebular Theory
  • plot the orbital speed vs distance for objects in our solar system.
  • explain how solar nebular theory explains solar system formation.
Elliptical Orbits & Asteroid Impact
  • describe changes in speed as an object follows an elliptical orbit.
  • discuss the possibility of collision between obiting bodies.
Synchronous Orbits (Sun-synch, Geo-synch)
  • explain the use of various synchronous orbits.

Essential Learning Activities/Strategies/Technologies:

??Kinesthetic Astronomy - Motions of the Earth - Sky Time
Solar System Orbits/ Graphing
Circular and Elliptical Orbit Drawing
Microgravity Experience
Gravitational Fields on Different Planets

Supplementary Learning Activities/Strategies/Technologies:

Lunar lander simulation - http://phet.colorado.edu/simulations/lunarLander/lunarlander.swf
Solar System Scale Models - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_system_model
Microgravity Astronaut Videos- http://www.nas.nasa.gov/Services/Education/SpaceSettlement/Video/

Technology Integration:


Assessments:

Prior Learning (from S8 Anchors):

S8.D.3.1 Explain the relationships between and among the objects of our solar system.
  • S8.D.3.1.1 Describe patterns of Earth’s movements (i.e., rotation and revolution) and the Moon’s movements (i.e., phases, eclipses, and tides) in relation to the Sun.
  • S8.D.3.1.2 Describe the role of gravity as the force that governs the movement of the solar system and universe.
  • S8.D.3.1.3 Compare and contrast characteristics of celestial bodies found in the solar system (e.g., moons, asteroids, comets, meteors, inner and outer planets).